6 years+10 months of Explorer XS coin/token finds(Updated Oct 07)

[Neil in West Jersey]

n/t

 

[digitrich]

When people say "boiling peroxide", do they actually mean 212 degree boiling, or is it just a figure of speech? Are you just supposed to get the peroxide hot or actually boiling?? Sorry for the dumb question that you have probably answered ten times before. I only ask because I have a couple hundred Indians in olive oil as I write and reading that they are going to bleed olive oil long after I remove them kind of sucks. Do you put your finds in anything until you actually get around to the peroxide bath? Thanks again Don, I appreciate the help.

 

[Don in SJ]

Lordy no on Boiling, the Peroxide bubbling is what boiling if referred to. For a few years I just poured the peroxide into a disposable margarine container, put the coin or button in and then put it under a flexible lamp to "heat" the solution up, which speeds up the cleaning process. Then I heard some were putting the peroxide in the microwave for a minute or less to heat it up prior to putting the coin or button in, so I started trying it and that seems to work good, just be careful not to have any metal in the peroxide until after your remove it from the container from the microwave.

A reminder, once a coin or button is put into olive oil, it is almost impossible for peroxide to be used after that, the oil, just prevent the peroxide from reaching the dirt that is now saturated with the oil..............

Don

 

[digitrich]

Thanks for the info, I got a 1864 Indian last night and I'm going to try it. Want to see if it has an L on the neck or not. Now I'm wondering how to get the olive oil off of them. Maybe a degreaser, like gojo, but no little rough chips in it? Are copper coins the only ones that you should put in peroxide, how about nickels or silver? Thanks for your advice.

 

[Don in SJ]

I only use it for brass and copper like items, never silver and what is a nickel

You might try dish washing detergent to get the olive oil off, not harsh and it might remove most of it.

Don

 

[digitrich]

Tried it out on a silver rosy, yep, won't do that again! Did turn a pretty color purple though. I was amazed out how the dirt came off the Indians without damaging the patina. Slow process though. I tried speeding it up by putting the peroxide in a pan on the stove on medium. Bringing it and the coins to a bubble and then dumping the coins in ice water, didn't seem to do anything quicker or better. Guess, simply heating the peroxide and taking the coins out and hitting them with a q-tip, and repeating and repeating and repeating and repeating...I hate to be repetitious but. I think it was easier finding these coins. One question for you Don, When does your ground freeze out there? I mentioned earlier, my mom lives out in Northwest Jersey and I would love to get out there and hunt but the kids don't have a school break until Thanksgiving. I thought I would go out there then, but I'm wondering if the ground will already be frozen. That's why I ask.

 

[Don in SJ]

Northwest NJ gets much more winter than I do in the South, in the woods here, the ground almost never freezes anymore, of course the fields and lawns and any open area will, but the leaf mulch in the woods usuall allows me to hunt all winter long, only a snow fall stops me. Or below say 25* for a high.

 

[digitrich]

I miss Jersey, out here in Iowa they don't talk temperature they cry wind chill. Usually some negative UN-Godly number like neg 29. Where's Johnny Appleseed when you need him, someone needs to plant a tree. But I guess if I'm gonna be in cellar holes, I probably wouldn't find much of a frost till January. Thanks for your response. I just don't know if I can drive 1200 miles to get there without stopping every time I see an old looking church or school, better to drive at night or the trip may never end.